Bartering Time

There is a movie called In Time, in which humanity had been genetically engineered to stop aging at 25 and to be born with a digital clock, bearing a year’s worth of time, on their forearm. At the age of 25 the clock begins counting down; when it reaches zero, that person dies. Time has been turned into the universal currency; one can give time for products or services, as well as transfer it to others. A person can no longer die of old age. She/he can only die by “timing out” (running out of time), having one’s clock “cleaned” (murder by someone taking all their time), or through recklessness (e.g. getting shot, overdosing, etc.)

While the film itself is okay, the concept is very brilliant and intriguing. What else could be more precious apart from our (free) life itself? While the age limit itself can cause a fair share of problems apart from the whole deal, and without it there can’t be an established give-take as there must be a limitation to it for it to reach zero, just like having a specific amount of wealth, it can become nearly impossible otherwise. But this could be something really thought provoking.